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NervUs
13-11-17, 01:18
Anyone know anything about this?

THe other day, I was in the shower and it felt like I got water in my ear, only I couldn't clear it out like normal. It went away without me really noticing when but, the next day, I started getting very weird tinnutis. It is like there is a jackhammer pounding in my ear, not very loud, but constant bumbumbumbumbum. It has happened several more times over the past few days, pretty random, and it can last like 5 seconds to about 30 seconds. Then, it goes away.

Quite honestly, I do not have the energy to deal with this anymore. I have been incredibly stressed since June, when docs thought it possible I had sarcoma (I didn't). During the sarcoma testing, I developed a persistent cough (for the fourth time in a year), wheezing, etc that I of course imagined was metastatic sarcoma. I finally got referred to a pulmonologist, who diagnosed asthma, and things did get better for me until about 5 weeks ago when I developed chest pains, believed to be pleurisy. Because I had a good xray, my GP didn't really follow up on the pleurisy, and it has lasted really long, I still have it kind of (although it has diminished). The pleurisy, of course, resurfaced all the lung cancer worry, but I had basically gotten it under control, getting back to a default state of feeling like I am healthy....and now the ear!!!!

I am honestly not worried about it. I am more angry than anything. I am losing my patience for symptom after symptom.

Now that that's off my chest- has anyone had this bizarre kind of tinnitus (not the humming kind but like a jackhammer kind) and have it be ANXIETY. I am really hoping it is just anxiety but the googling I did says, you really need to get this kind of tinnitus checked out since it can be caused by some bad stuff. I know I have to get it checked, but I really just want to write it off as anxiety.

melfish
13-11-17, 01:49
There is a type of tinnitus that is caused by a muscular spasm in the ear. It's often triggered by stress and is comparable to an eyelid twitch. I've had it off and on for years. Look up tensor tympani spasm and see if it's a fit.

NervUs
13-11-17, 02:15
I don't know if the tempor tympani totally fits, in that noise doesn't set it off. But, yes, it does resemble twitching, only with some sounds associated. I have been twitching all over the place lately- so I am really hoping that is all it is!

melfish
13-11-17, 02:27
I don't know if the tempor tympani totally fits, in that noise doesn't set it off. But, yes, it does resemble twitching, only with some sounds associated. I have been twitching all over the place lately- so I am really hoping that is all it is!

Sometimes noise sets mine off, others times it just starts by itself. Especially in bed at night, when I am trying to sleep. I've read mention of it on the BFS boards too as yet another twitch.

lofwyr
13-11-17, 05:33
I have it, and have had it for years (2-3 maybe). I am just now getting tested for it, and joined some facebook support groups for it which are really good.

Most causes of it are vascular in nature, but usually nothing serious. Does it beat to your pulse rate? Mine does. I had an MRI which was clear of tumors, thank god. Doing the aneurysm check next with an MRA, though I am not sure why they didn't do them at the same time.

Anyway, I am pursuing it because I have a medical issue which puts me at higher risk of a brain aneurysm, but what you have going on sounds like nerves twitching or something.

True pulsatile tinnitus is constant, and always there, and if vascular, goes to the beat of your heart. Upto 25% of cases have no diagnosable cause and are simply medical mysteries. Most of the other 75% are not serious, though aggravating.

NervUs
14-11-17, 00:00
I am really thinking mine is the muscular kind. It does not track with my pulse, is literally like a jackhammer, one pound after the next. I am letting this one go unless it's still there in a month. I haven't gotten it at all today, probably because I know it's an anxiety thing.